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Sent: Wednesday, 10 August 2016 7:37 AM

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Subject: MEDIA MONITORING: The Nauru files: 2,000 leaked reports reveal scale of abuse of children in Australian
offshore detention - The Guardian [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

https://www.theguardian.com/australianews/2016/aug/10/thenaurufiles2000leakedreportsrevealscaleof
abuseofchildreninaustralianoffshoredetention

TheNaurufiles:2,000leakedreportsrevealscaleofabuseofchildren
inAustralianoffshoredetention
TheGuardianAustralia
Wednesday10August2016

ReadincidentreportswrittenbystaffinAustraliasimmigrationdetentioncentreonNauru

Exclusive:ThelargestcacheofdocumentstobeleakedfromwithinAustraliasasylumseekerdetentionregime
detailsassaults,sexualassaultsandselfharm

ThedevastatingtraumaandabuseinflictedonchildrenheldbyAustraliainoffshoredetentionhasbeenlaidbarein
thelargestcacheofleakeddocumentsreleasedfrominsideitsimmigrationregime.

Morethan2,000leakedincidentreportsfromAustraliasdetentioncampforasylumseekersontheremotePacific
islandofNaurutotallingmorethan8,000pagesarepublishedbytheGuardiantoday.TheNaurufilessetoutas
neverbeforetheassaults,sexualabuse,selfharmattempts,childabuseandlivingconditionsenduredbyasylum
seekersheldbytheAustraliangovernment,paintingapictureofroutinedysfunctionandcruelty.

TheGuardiansanalysisofthefilesrevealthatchildrenarevastlyoverrepresentedinthereports.Morethanhalfof
the2,116reportsatotalof1,086incidents,or51.3%involvechildren,althoughchildrenmadeuponlyabout
18%ofthoseindetentiononNauruduringthetimecoveredbythereports,May2013toOctober2015.Thefindings
comejustweeksafterthebrutaltreatmentofyoungpeopleinjuveniledetentionintheNorthernTerritorywas
exposed,leadingtotheAustralianprimeminister,MalcolmTurnbull,announcingawiderangingpublicinquiry.

Thereportsrangefromaguardallegedlygrabbingaboyandthreateningtokillhimonceheislivinginthe
communitytoguardsallegedlyslappingchildrenintheface.InSeptember2014ateacherreportedthatagirlhad
requestedafourminuteshowerinsteadofatwominuteshower.Herrequesthasbeenacceptedonconditionof
sexualfavours.Itisamalesecurityperson.Shedidnotstateifthishasorhasntoccurred.Thesecurityofficerwants
toviewaboyorgirlhavingashower.

Somereportscontaindistressingexamplesofbehaviourbytraumatisedchildren.Accordingtoareportfrom
September2014,agirlhadsewnherlipstogether.Aguardsawherandbeganlaughingather.InJulythatyeara
childundertheageof10undressedandinvitedagroupofadultstoinserttheirfingersintohervagina;inFebruary
2015ayounggirlgesturedtohervaginaandsaidamaleasylumseekercutherfromunder.

Inthefilestherearesevenreportsofsexualassaultofchildren,59reportsofassaultonchildren,30ofselfharm
involvingchildrenand159ofthreatenedselfharminvolvingchildren.

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Thereportsshowextraordinaryactsofdesperation.Onepregnantwoman,afterbeingtoldshewouldneedtogive
birthonNauruinOctober2015,wasagitatedandintears.IgivemybabytoAustraliatolookafter,shepleaded
withacaseworker,adding:IdontwanttohavemybabyinPNG,the[Nauruhospital]orhaveitinthisdirty
environment.

ThefilesraisestarkquestionsabouthowinformationisreportedonNauru,oneofAustraliastwooffshore
detentioncentresforasylumseekerswhoarrivebyboat.Theyhighlightseriousconcernsabouttheongoingrisksto
childrenandadultsheldontheisland.TheyshowhowtheAustraliangovernmenthasfailedtorespondtowarning
signsandrevealsexualassaultallegationsmanyinvolvingchildrenthathaveneverbeenpreviouslydisclosed.

Themostdamningevidenceemergesfromthewordsofthestaffworkinginthedetentioncentrethemselvesthe
peoplewhocompilethereports.Thesecaseworkers,guards,teachersandmedicalofficershavebeenchargedwith
caringforhundredsofasylumseekersontheisland.

ThepublicationislikelytorenewcallsforanendtothepoliticalimpassethathasseenchildreninAustraliascare
languishonNauruformorethanthreeyears.

Nauruistheworldssmallestislandstate,hometofewerthan10,000people.Australiasuppliesaidandbuys
servicesfromNaurusgovernmentandcompanies,leadingtoaccusationsNauruiseffectivelyaclientstate.On
thelastofficialcountattheendofJune,442people338men,55womenand49childrenwereheldintheNauru
regionalprocessingcentre.Theotheroffshorecentre,onManusIslandinPapuaNewGuinea,washolding854
people,allmen.AustraliaspolicyhasbeencriticisedregularlybytheUN.

TheGuardianispublishingthefilesbecauseitbelievesAustralianshavetherighttoknowmoreabouttheregimeat
theNauruandManuscentres,whichcostsAustraliantaxpayers$1.2bnayear.

Thedocumentscovertheperiodexaminedinareviewintoallegationsofsexualassault,theAustralianHuman
RightsCommissionsinquiryintochildrenindetentionaswellastheperiodexaminedbyaSenateinquiryand
beyond.TheyencompassthefinaldaysofLaborstimeingovernmentandtherulingconservativeCoalitionstimein
officesinceSeptember2013.

Ineachsuccessiveinquiry,theAustraliangovernmentanditscontractors,includingBroadspectrum(formerly
TransfieldServices)anditssubcontractorWilsonSecurity,havemaintainedthattheyareimprovingconditionsand
reportingmeasurestoraisethequalityoflifeontheisland.

InApril2015theAustralianimmigrationminister,PeterDutton,saidhewantedtomakeNauruasafe
environment.Hesaidhehadinstructedthedepartmenttodowhatevertheypossiblycan,bothdomestically
withinthedetentionnetworkhereandwithourpartnersintheregionalprocessingcentres,tomakesurethatthe
standardofcareisashighasitpossiblycanbe.

WilsonSecurityhaspreviouslytoldtheAustralianparliamentithadrobustpolicies,proceduresandprocessesthat
supporttheoperationsinNauru.

Itcontinued:Allegationsofsexualassaultaretreatedinatimelyandsensitivemanner.WhereWilsonSecurity
receivesanallegationwetakeimmediateactionfollowingdisclosureornotification.

Butthefilesshowaverydifferentpicture.Ratherthanseriouseventsdiminishing,theycontinuedandinsome
casesescalatedduringthecourseof2015.Avastnumberofincidentsfromacrossthetimeframehavenever
beforebeenreported.

ManyasylumseekersheldonNauruwereunabletoleavethedetentioncompoundsduringtheperiodcoveredby
thefiles.Somehadbeengrantedpermissiontoleaveondaytripsbutwerecloselymonitoredtoensurethey
returnedbeforecurfews.ThosefoundtoberefugeeswerereleasedintotheNauruancommunityyetstillremain
effectivelydetainedontheremoteisland.

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Theprimaryevidencefromthefilesbacksuptestimonyfromformerimmigrationdetentionstaffmembers
interviewedbytheGuardianaspartofitsinvestigation.

AccesstoNauruistightlycontrolled.Eventsontheislandarereportedsporadicallythroughrefugeeadvocatesand
whistleblowers,buttheAustraliangovernmentspolicyofshroudingitsoffshoredetentioncentresinsecrecyhas
preventedthereportingofmanyseriousincidents.TheNaurufilesshatterthatsecrecy.

AspokespersonfortheDepartmentofImmigrationandBorderProtectionsaid:TheAustraliangovernment
continuestosupporttheNauruangovernmenttoprovideforthehealth,welfareandsafetyoftransfereechildren.

Allegedincidentswithintheregionalprocessingcentreareinvestigatedandwhereappropriatereferredtothe
Naurupoliceforce(NPF)forinvestigation.Refugeeslivinginthecommunityareencouragedtoreportallincidents
ofassaulttotheNPF.

TheAustralianfederalpolicehasdeployedofficerstoworkalongsidetheNPFandbuildtheircapacitytoinvestigate
complexandsensitiveincidents.Australiaprovidescomprehensivemedicalsupportservicestotheregional
processingcentreinNauruandtotheNauruangovernmenthealthfacilities.

Sexualviolenceandthreats

Allegationsofsexualassault,particularlyagainstyoungwomen,areapersistentthemeofthefiles.Inonereportan
asylumseekerdescribedbeingtoldshewasonalistwrittenbylocalNauruanguardsnamingsinglewomenthey
werewaitingfor.Shehasreceivedofferstogetherpregnantwhenshegetsout,thecaseworkerwrote.

TheyrevealallegationsofmisconductbyWilsonSecurityguardsatthedetentioncentre.Inonereportacultural
adviserforWilsonSecurity,thecompanythatemploysguardsatthedetentioncamp,allegedlytoldanasylum
seekerwhohadbeensexuallyassaultedincampthatrapeinAustraliaisverycommonandpeopledontget
punished.

Thecaseworkerwhofiledthereportwrotethatthefemaleasylumseekeralsotoldhertheguardhadquestioned
whetherthesexualassaulthadoccurredandsaid:Ifthathappenedtoyouwhydidntyouscreamatthetime?

YouhavetotakeitoutofyourheadifyougointoNauruthenhe[theallegedperpetrator]couldbeyourneighbour
orifyougotoCambodiathenhecouldbeontheplanenexttoyou,theadviserreportedlytoldthewoman.You
alsohavetoteachyoursontotreatthismannicely.

FacebookTwitterPinterest
SecrecyistightintheAustralianrundetentioncentreonNauru.Takingphotosevencarryingasmartphonewitha
cameraisbanned

ThereareallegationsthatbusdriversemployedbyAustraliasdetentioncontractorstookvoyeuristicpicturesof
womeninthecamptousetomasturbate.Otherreportsrangefromamanfacingthreatsofseveresexualviolence
fromotherasylumseekerstoawomanthreateningselfharmbecauseshedoesntwantmentotouchherbody.

SpeakingbeforethepublicationoftheNaurufiles,ProfLouiseNewman,aformermemberoftheImmigration
HealthAdvisoryGroup,sayssuchattackshavecontinued.ShespeaksonanightlybasistowomenonNauruwho
havebeensexuallyassaulted.

IampreparedtosaythesexualassaultofwomenisamajorproblemonNauru,Newmansays.Someofthe
womensdescriptionsofwhatishappeningtothemisincrediblyalarmingintermsofthelackofprocess.

Itsnotjustoneincident.Ifitwasoneincidentandtherehadbeenapoorresponseinadevelopingnationthen
maybeitwassomethingtoworkon.Ithinkwhatwereseeingisasystemiclackofprocessesandunderstandingof
this.

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Traumaandselfharm

Healthandmedicalexpertshaveconsistentlywarnedofthementalharmcausedbyprolongeddetention.Thefiles
showingraphicdetailhowthisharmhasmanifested.

Onemanaskedacaseworkerwherehecouldbuybulletssohecouldgetsomeoneelsetoshoothim.Awoman
sharpenedapencilwitharazorblade,thencutherwrists.Anotherwrappedaropearoundherneckandtriedto
hangherself.Shehadtobeheldupbyguardsuntilshecouldbecutdown.

InonereportfromJanuary2015,ateenagegirlstruggledtocopeafterhermothersmiscarriage.Shebeganhaving
ongoinghallucinationsfromasmallperson,aSavetheChildrenworkerwrote.

Sheisunsureifitisamanorwomenbuthasadarkfaceandisthesizeofachild.Thehallucinationhad
threatenedtokillher:Atothertimesthehallucinationisencouraging[REDACTED]tokillherself.

Thetollonchildrensmentalhealthisparticularlyheavy.AccordingtoanApril2015reportagirlbeganscreaming
uncontrollablyduringafightinarecreationtent.

Duringthistime[REDACTED]alsogougedatherownfaceconsistentlyandpulledherownhair,thechild
protectionofficerwrote.Itwasobservedthat[REDACTED]couldnotbreathproperlyandhadaglazedlookinher
eyes.

Otherfilesshowtheanguishedoutburststowhichsomeasylumseekershavebecomepronesincetheirdetention:
onereportdescribedawomanseekingabandageafterpunchingametalpolewithbothhands.Anothertoldofa
womanwhobeganbangingherheadwithherfistsafteranaltercationwithguards.Anotherwomancarvedher
husbandsnameontoherchest;shewantedatattoobutcouldnotgetonesousedaknifeinstead.Herhusband
livesinAustralia.

SpeakingtotheGuardianbeforethepublicationoftheNaurufiles,DrPeterYoung,aformermedicaldirectorof
mentalhealthforAustraliasimmigrationdetentionsystem,said:Selfharmandsuicideattemptsincreasesteadily
aftersixmonthsindetention.Thisisdrivenbyhopelessnesswhichisknowntobethestrongestpredictorofsuicide.

Someselfharm,suchaslipsewing,hasaprotestelementandiscommoninprisonersasanexpressionoffeeling
powerlessandvoiceless.

Squalor

Otherreportsshowthesqualorandthedifficultiesgettingmedicaltreatment.Onefemaleasylumseeker,whohas
urinaryincontinence,complainedabouthowshewasnolongerprovidedwithsanitarypadstotreatthecondition.

Accordingtoanotherreportafemaleguardallegedlyrefusedtoletachildunder10useatoiletandmadehersquat
onthegroundinstead.Hermothertoldacaseworkertheguardhadthenshonehertorchonthegirlsgenitals.

TwelveofthemostharrowingaccountsfromtheNaurufilesinpictures

Thelogsillustratethesqualidconditionsoftenexperiencedbyasylumseekersatthecentre,includingfrequent
complaintsofcockroachesinfestingtentshousingthedetainees.

Onereportshowedhowthecompaniesfailuretocommunicatetraumatisesasylumseekers.Themedicalprovider
InternationalHealthandMedicalServicesranamasscasualtysimulationthathadpeopledaubedwithfakeblood
walkingaround.ButtheplanwasnotreportedtotheSavetheChildrenteachersatthenearbyschool.

Theincidentpromptedeverystudenttostarttalkingaboutincidentsofselfharmtheyhadwitnessed,ateacher
wrote.Theydidnotknowthisonewasfalseandsowereforcedtoexperienceanotherincidentatschool,which
shouldbeasafe,distractingenvironment.

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BestRegards,
s. 22(1)(a)(ii)

s. 22(1)(a)(ii)
Media Operations
Media and Executive Coordination Branch|Executive Division
Department of Immigration and Border Protection
24-hour media line: 02 6264 2244
E:media@border.gov.au

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